India, Nov. 24 -- No one could have predicted that the first Ashes Test between Australia and England at the Optus Stadium in Perth would finish inside two days. But this is exactly what happened. Mitchell Starc's 10-wicket haul and Travis Head's mesmerising 123-run knock in the final innings helped the hosts register an eight-wicket win to go 1-0 up in the five-match series. Head's onslaught as an opener left England shellshocked, and the visitors had no answers as Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse, Mark Wood, Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson were smashed all around the park.

Head smashed a 69-ball century, and owing to this effort, Australia chased down the target of 205 in 28.2 overs in a single session. This was the highest team total in the ent...